


The Scent of a Lion

by fandramatics



Series: 101 Prompts Challenge [40]
Category: Clarice (TV 2021), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types, Hannibal Lecter Tetralogy - Thomas Harris
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29863101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandramatics/pseuds/fandramatics
Summary: When Clarice struggles over a complicated case, a gift arrives.---65. "Please, tell me you've got protection"
Relationships: Ardelia Mapp & Clarice Starling, Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling
Series: 101 Prompts Challenge [40]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1503173
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	The Scent of a Lion

Starling sank into her chair, her face hidden behind her palms as she tried to find whatever ounce of peace she could find within herself. There were ringing in her ears, screams to be precise. Lamb screams.

Agents worked around her, there was blood on her FBI coat, a clock ticked somewhere in the room. Her breathing was loud, she could hear the blood rushing on her ears. She clenched her jaw.

"Clarice," someone called, out loud.

Starling snapped in the direction of the voice, she found Ardelia frowning at her. Her roommate held a box in her hand.

"I'm sorry, Dee, didn't hear you the first time," she said, sighing.

"This arrived for you," Ardelia said, laying the item on the white woman's desk. "You better take a look, it arrived on Valentine's."

Starling shot up, she opened a drawer and grabbed a pair of gloves, along with a letter opener.

"What is it?" Tripathi asked when he noticed the commotion. Esquivel heard the question and raised his head, his attention drawn to Starling.

Clarice swallowed, she refrained from touching the box more than necessary as she opened it.

"What is it?" echoed Ardelia.

Starling dropped the letter opener, she pulled out of the box a long cotton scarf, the color of it matched her eyes.

"It's beautiful," Mapp sighed, shifting on her feet, "Do you think it's...?"

"What?" Tripathi tried again, glance shifting from one agent to the other.

Clarice reached for the bottom of the box, produced a card from it. She cleared her throat before she read it. "'Not every lamb can be saved, even if you are no longer a child. The slaughterhouse was destroyed by you, wouldn't daddy be proud? Happy Valentines'," she sank back into her chair.

"Who sent it?" Esquivel questioned, picking a glove to grab the box.

"You're not gonna find anything on it," Ardelia said.

"You know who sent it," Tripathi concluded.

"This isn't the first time," Mapp said, "Last year it was a book."

"Last year was _La Vita Nuova,_ " Starling nodded. She brought the scarf close to her nose, then shook her head, a smirk in the corner of her lips. " _L'Air du Temps_."

"Jesus," hissed Ardelia, "how come this doesn't give you the creeps?"

"He promised not to call on me," she faced Mapp, "he doesn't lie."

"Wait, _he?"_ Tripathi pressed. "Are we talking about...?"

"Who?" Esquivel searched everyone's faces for answers.

"Once you asked me why they called me 'Bride of Frankenstein'," Clarice said, she handed him the note, "this is why."

"Lecter lied to Krendler," insisted Ardelia.

"He doesn't lie to me," Starling said.

"Hannibal Lecter? _The_ Hannibal Lecter? Hannibal, the cannibal?" Tripathi shifted on his feet more than once. "Please, tell me you've got protection."

"She always dismisses them. When this happened last year the FBI sent officers to our place, she sent them home," Mapp said.

"Nothing happened, Dee. The Doctor won't come."

"Why the gift?" Esquivel asked.

"A personal joke. He gave me a Valentine once, it was what got me into the Buffalo Bill investigation," Starling explained. "This is the third valentine he sends me since we met. It's like an anniversary of sorts."

"First a book, now a scarf?" Mapp made a face, "Clarice, you should be careful. First paper, then cotton, I'm—" she shifted, then sighed. "Well, you know him. Just... Be careful." She walked away.

"He didn't sign the card," Esquivel commented.

"He didn't have to, I know the handwriting. And the perfume he chose for the scarf, I wear it, he recognized it on me back at the hospital." Clarice said.

"Wow," said Tripathi, "couldn't you have found a common guy to have a crush on you?" He walked away after a tremor ran through him.

"Are you okay?" Esquivel asked low.

Starling nodded, "I'm fine. This note, it's... He has been watching, he knows what happened, he knows about Lana Waters, how she died before we caught the guy. He meant this as..." she swallowed, "He's comforting me, wants me to keep my head high." She couldn't face the sniper as much as she couldn't hold back the weak smile on her lips. She shook her head, "We should get back to work."

Esquivel shook his head. He watched Clarice as he returned the card to the box, her smile was gone, yet there was something behind the facade he couldn't put a finger on, and he understood he never would. There was an aspect of Starling he couldn't grasp, it lived in the calmness she presented when Lecter's gift arrived, it inhabited the smile she gave when she took in the meaning of the Doctor's message.

He wondered what that said about Starling, what it meant for her future.

When Esquivel sat back at his desk and rose his eyes to Starling, he found her studying the scarf. It highlighted her eyes, it created a gorgeous sight and she seemed to like it. He waited. _Would she try it on?_

The prospect of what that could mean made him tremble on his seat, it made his mouth dry. He looked away, unable to face the answer to his question.


End file.
